Turkish President Says Video Of Khashoggi’s Killing Atrocious

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has claimed that recordings related to the killing of the Saudi Arabian journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, are “appaling” as shocked a Saudi intelligence officer who listened to them.

Reports from Turkey said Erdogan told reporters on his plane while returning from a weekend visit to France that he had discussed the journalist’s killing with the U.S, French and German leaders at dinner in Paris.

It was reported that the Turkish government has already shared the recordings with its Western allies,

Khashoggi, a critic of the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed in Saudi Arabia’s Istanbul consulate on Tuesday, October 2, 2018.

Erdogan alleged that the killing was ordered at the “highest levels” of the Saudi government.

“We played the recordings regarding this murder to everyone who wanted them from us.

“Our intelligence organization did not hide anything. We played them to all who wanted them including the Saudis, the USA, France, Canada, Germany, Britain,” Erdogan restated.

“The recordings are really appalling. Indeed when the Saudi intelligence officer listened to the recordings he was so shocked he said: ‘This one must have taken heroin, only someone who takes heroin would do this’,” he added.

Khashoggi’s killing has provoked global outrage but little concrete action by world powers against Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter.

Erdogan insisted that it was clear that the murder was planned and that the order came from the top level of Saudi authorities, still, he could not think such a thing of King Salman, for whom he has ‘limitless respect’.

‘We are waiting patiently,” Erdogan said, adding that the perpetrators of the killing were among 18 suspects detained in Saudi Arabia.

“It must be revealed who gave them the order to murder.”

A Turkish newspaper (Sabah) reported on Tuesday that the luggage of the Saudi team which was sent to Istanbul at the time of Khashoggi’s killing contained syringes, large scissors, staple guns, walkie-talkies, electric shock devices and a signal jammer.

Saudi Arabia’s prosecutor Saud al-Mojeb has since said Khashoggi’s killing was planned in advance, as another Saudi official said Prince Mohammed had no knowledge of the specific operation.

In his reaction, “The crown prince says ‘I will clarify the matter, I will do what is necessary’.